Television advertising in India saw a 10% drop in ad volumes during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest TAM AdEx – Half Yearly Report (Jan–Jun 2025). The decline suggests a cautious recalibration in advertiser spending, even as core FMCG players continued to dominate the medium.
Food & Beverages Still on Top
The Food & Beverages sector retained its crown as the largest advertiser on television, commanding 22% share of ad volumes. Personal Care/Personal Hygiene followed at 16%, and Services took third place with 14%. Together, the top 10 sectors accounted for nearly 90% of all TV ad volumes in H1 2025.
Category Shake-Ups and New Entrants
Toilet Soaps led the category rankings, followed by Toilet/Floor Cleaners and Washing Powders/Liquids. Two new categories — Aerated Soft Drink and Ecom-Online Shopping — entered the top 10, reflecting both seasonal beverage pushes and the continued growth of e-commerce.
The fastest-growing categories by ad volume included:
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Toilet/Floor Cleaners (+16%)
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Ecom-Online Shopping (+48%)
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Vocational Training Institute (+3.83×)
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Non-Aerated Soft Drink (+39%)
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Retail Outlets – Jewellers (+31%)
HUL and Reckitt Continue Their Reign
FMCG majors remained the heaviest TV advertisers. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) topped the list, followed closely by Reckitt Benckiser and Godrej Group. Coca Cola India made a notable jump in rankings, joined by Glaxosmithkline, Nestle India, and Tata Group as climbers in the top 10. Collectively, the top 10 advertisers contributed 47% of total TV ad volumes in the first half of 2025.
Brand Leaders Dominated by Reckitt
The brand leaderboard was led by Harpic Power Plus 10x Advanced, with Dettol Toilet Soaps and Dettol Antiseptic Liquid following. Six of the top 10 brands belonged to Reckitt Benckiser, while HUL accounted for two, including Surf Excel Matic Liquid. Overall, the top 10 brands represented 11% of TV ad volumes, pointing to concentrated brand investment strategies.
GECs Hold the Lead Over News
In terms of channel genres, General Entertainment Channels (GECs) maintained their top spot with 31% share, outperforming News channels (28%), with Movies at 22%. The top five genres — GEC, News, Movies, Music, and Kids — together captured over 95% of total ad volumes.
Strategic Recalibration Ahead
The slowdown in ad volumes comes despite FMCG’s entrenched dominance, indicating that advertisers are fine-tuning spend allocation rather than cutting presence outright. The rise of categories like Ecom-Online Shopping and Vocational Training reflects a broader diversification in television’s advertiser base, even as traditional sectors hold sway.
Industry watchers will now be keen to see whether the second half of 2025 delivers a rebound, or if brands will continue to lean on targeted, high-impact campaigns over sheer volume in their TV advertising strategies.
